Romans 8:28 Amplified Bible (AMP) 28We are assured and know that [[a]God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
WOW!! What a completely freeing concept to hold on to as a Christian. When things are going well it is easy to see the good working on our behalf. But, we all know that everything in life is not "good". This verse of scripture doesn't even imply that. Instead, God says He is causing everything...the good...the bad...and the ugly to work on our behalf.
One great aspect of this verse of scripture is that God is on our side through every situation and circumstance. God is our "partner" in our labor to succeed. His heart for us is to be successful. No one in partnership with another wants that partner to fail. A partner has a vested interest in the other being successful and overcoming any obstacle that stands in the way. So many times, the enemy uses unfavorable situations that we all face in life to derail us and get us to live outside the plan of God for our lives. This scripture says that He is working with us to ensure that EVERYTHING works to fit into a plan...what plan? Well, according to God in Jeremiah 29:11, God has a plan for us to be blessed and not cursed, life and not death, and a hope and a future. So, armed with that knowledge, we need to face every thing that somes into our life with faith.
Our relationship with God is key in walking out this promise found in scripture. There are two things that we need to be aware of as God's children. First, we need to be loving God. Many of us have an idea that God loves us. But this scripture has a promise not to those loved by God, but to those who LOVE God. What does it mean to love someone. It means that we give the one we love our attention, communicate with them, and spend some quality time with them. When we really love and know someone, then trust is established. Loving God is not just lip service but is evidenced by life service. when relationships are right, then we want to serve the one we love. In my relationship with George Anne, the more in love we have fallen, the more I want to do for her. I desire to bless her, be a blessing to her, and see her succeed in every endeavor she cares about. When we are entwined in a relationship with our awesome God, we care about Him, about His character and plans, and we are committed to making God look good in us. Second, we must realize that we are each one called to fulfill His design and purpose in our lives. As I love God and let Him love me, the purposes of God for my life become more clear.
Our relationship with God is key in walking out this promise found in scripture. There are two things that we need to be aware of as God's children. First, we need to be loving God. Many of us have an idea that God loves us. But this scripture has a promise not to those loved by God, but to those who LOVE God. What does it mean to love someone. It means that we give the one we love our attention, communicate with them, and spend some quality time with them. When we really love and know someone, then trust is established. Loving God is not just lip service but is evidenced by life service. when relationships are right, then we want to serve the one we love. In my relationship with George Anne, the more in love we have fallen, the more I want to do for her. I desire to bless her, be a blessing to her, and see her succeed in every endeavor she cares about. When we are entwined in a relationship with our awesome God, we care about Him, about His character and plans, and we are committed to making God look good in us. Second, we must realize that we are each one called to fulfill His design and purpose in our lives. As I love God and let Him love me, the purposes of God for my life become more clear.
I want to share a personal testimony about this concept. When my dad was suddenly killed in a car accident several years ago, it was a devastating event. My first question was "Why God?". We can be honest with the ones that we love...even God. When I asked that question the thing that immediately came to my mind was that God said, "I will cause even this to work for good." I didn't understand it completely but that is where faith has to begin and reason is left behind. I begin to testify to the goodness of God even in the midst of my grief and I found the comfort of the Holy Spirit to be sufficient to get me through this time of loss. One morning while I was sharing with a new member of my church what God had been revealing, it impacted his life tremendously. He later shared with me that this one conversation had been a turning point in his life. He said that he realized that a relationship with God could be real and life changing. He and his wife have now been committed to Christ for many years and they are impacting people in their realm of influence day by day. This is just one example of how God used this situation to ultimately save, heal, and deliver many. My dad is in heaven and I know that he is filled with joy because people are being drawn to Christ through this.
Try putting this promise into practice. The word of God is not theory, it is practical and applies to our lives everyday. The next time you are confronted with a difficult situation....reach out by faith and begin to thank God that He is going to cause even this to bring glory to God and be a good thing that accomplishes His purpose and plan in your life. You will be surprised at what He can do with faith like that. Just sayin....
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